EPL: Same old farcical Arsenal defending, imperious City, first away Spurs win and other match talking points

As promised, Saturday’s round of English Premier League (EPL)  matches didn’t just flatter to deceive but delivered spectacularly with lots of goals, VAR decisions and a flurry of awarded penalty kicks, proving once more that the most-watched League in the world can be described as many things but the term “boring” wouldn’t be found amongst.

WEST HAM 2 – TOTTENHAM 3

The close scoreline is a deceptive one and doesn’t tell the whole story of the match with goals from the away side coming from Heung-min Son, Lucas and Harry Kane and the late goalscoring salvo from the home side by striker Antonio and centre back Ogbonna. On ” The Special one” return to managerial duties as Tottenham coach he made an attention-grabbing starting lineup by sentencing the wantaway midfield dynamo Christian Eriksen to the bench, preferring Eric Dier and Dele Alli instead.

His faith in the latter was justified with the Englishman playing an important contribution to Tottenham’s first goal in the Jose Mourinho era with the assist to Son which was duly converted by the South Korean. Son was also on hand to slid a tantalising defence splitting pass to Lucas for Spurs second goal of the match and Kane made sure of the three points with a glancing header to guarantee Spurs first away win of the Season and since January.  Overall a job well done and a much needed three points for the North London outfit.

ARSENAL 2 – SOUTHAMPTON 2

Unai Emery woes continued on Saturday with his inability to inspire his Arsenal team to a much expected and required home victory against visiting Southampton. It was the 19th placed away side which started as the better team as the Arsenal backline of David Luiz, Sokratis, Chambers, Bellerin and Kieran Tierney always looked like a defensive mishap waiting to happen  and sure enough they switched off from a quick free-kick and the ex-Liverpool striker Danny Ings was on hand to make them pay with a cheeky finish, his 3rd goal in his last four appearances against the Gunners.

Arsenal immediately pulled one back through a striker of their own with Frenchman Alex Lacazette taking advantage of a penalty box flurry to draw the home side level, a much-needed goal for the injury-ravaged striker. VAR drama was also a theme of the match as James ward-prowse pounced on a rebound for his saved penalty attempt to put the visiting side in the ascendancy again, with the chance of an unlikely win snatched at the last minute by the Frenchman Alexander Lacazette through substitute Gabriel Martinelli’s cross.

The final whistle was followed by huge boos from the home crowd as the fans let their feelings known to the club’s hierarchy once more and as the manager, Unai Emery walked through the tunnel with his head hanging it is hard to see a way back for the Spaniard.

MAN CITY 2 – CHELSEA 1

Man City was in imperious form in the late kickoff and had to be as they came from a goal down against a Lampard-led Chelsea outfit thereby condemning the host to their first defeat in 7 matches.

The home side leapfrogged their opponents Chelsea in the Premier League table after Riyad Mahrez’s sublime run and finish condemned the visitors Chelsea to their first league defeat since September.

Frank Lampard’s side had started the stronger, and took the lead when N’Golo Kante strode into the penalty area and somehow squirmed a shot through Ederson. Kevin De Bruyne responded rather fortuitously eight minutes later, as his left-footed shot was deflected off Kurt Zouma, leaving a wrong-footed Kepa Arrizabalaga helpless.

City’s winner came just before half-time, as Mahrez cut in from the right and stroked the ball into the bottom corner. Sergio Aguero also hit the bar before the interval, yet the second period was much less open than the first, with City largely in control of possession and Chelsea unable to find a precious second goal – there was time for VAR to get involved, as Raheem Sterling’s late goal was chalked off for offside by barely an inch. 

SATURDAY’S EPL RESULTS